NCAA Men’s Hockey Regionals Coming To Connecticut

By Bob Phillips

BRIDGEPORT—Sports-starved Connecticut sports fans finally got a bit of good news today when it was announced that the Webster Bank Arena will host a NCAA Division I men’s hockey regional tournament in 2023. The WBA is also slated to host a men’s hockey regional in 2021, and a women’s basketball regional in 2022, although whether or not the 2021 tournament will be played—and if so, whether fans will be allowed to attend—is a matter of conjecture. Without fans, it is highly unlikely the venue, the home for the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will serve as home site. Owned by the City of Bridgeport, operated by Harbor Yard Sports & Entertainment, LLC and managed by Oak View Group, a Los Angeles-based entertainment and sports facilities company, the facility if heavily reliant on ticket sales, parking and concessions to generate operating revenue.

Yale and Sacred Heart will serve as host universities for the 2023 tournament. Webster Bank Arena is also slated to host the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball East Regional Tournament.

“We are proud to partner with Webster Bank Arena and Yale University to host the 2023 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Regional,” Sacred Heart deputy director of athletics of external operations Charlie Dowd said. No stranger to the Webster Bank Arena, Dowd served stints as SVP of Operations for Harbor Yard Sports & Entertainment and as general manager for the late, great Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League. The Bluefish played for 20 seasons at the former Ballpark at Harbor Yard, which sits adjacent to the WBA and is currently being converted into an outdoor amphitheater which will one day host music concerts, although given today’s COVID-19 environment, when that might actually happen is anyone’s guess.

“We’ve had a great relationship with OVG Facilities for a number of years and I know we’ll be able to put on a first-class experience for the student-athletes and fans,” Dowd continued. “The building has a long, successful history of hosting and we look forward to creating new memories. It is an honor for our program and institution to bring this great event to Bridgeport.”

The NCAA hockey tournament is broken into four regional sites, with four teams playing single elimination games against each other at each site. The winner of each regional advances to play in the Frozen Four, held at a neutral site. Webster Bank Arena has hosted five NCAA regional hockey tournaments in the past; 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2018.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected by the NCAA to host the Division I Men’s Regional here in Bridgeport,” Mayor Joe Ganim said. “Many visitors will come from around the region to experience Bridgeport as an emerging entertainment hub with terrific restaurants. We look forward to working with the Oak View Group team and the New York Islanders at Webster Bank Arena, in addition to Yale and Sacred Heart University, for what will be a fantastic experience for student-athletes, families and fans.”

—With Staff Reports